The present invention relates to vehicles for material handling and more specifically relates to a new and novel design for a multi-purpose utility vehicle with telescopic boom and hydraulic platform lift functions in conjunction with a novel pantograph-type support structure for imparting stability to the vehicle during normal usage together with a multi-operational steering mode for a variety of industrial load-receiving operations. The subject of this application is related to the co-pending U.S. application of Victor Laurich-Trost filed Jul. 27, 1979 under Ser. No. 076-039,698.
Heretofore, it has been known to employ vehicles for handling various items and/or materials which include a telescopic boom or which employ a conventinal type lift platform (i.e. fork-lift) to provide various load-receiving functions. Such devices are illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,598,220, 2,492,608, 2,820,561, 3,229,830, 3,337,231, 3,357,572 and 3,601,169.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose utility vehicle which provides, on one chasis, and articulated vehicle which incorporates a pivotally mounted telescopic boom assembly for continuous pivotal movement capable of rotation through an arc of 360.degree.. The vehicle chassis also mounts a hydraulically operated lift platform assembly disposed at the forward end of the vehicle to provide a load-receiving function in response, for example, to loading from the telescopic boom assembly. Conversely, the lift-platform may function to provide a load service for the telescopic boom assembly. Accordingly, the telescopic boom assembly has a continuous rotational movement about a horizontal axis of 360.degree. and may provide a service for loading the lift platform assembly and vice versa, as desired.